You'll Never Be Like Them
by HeavyMetalRunner
Summary: Everyone knows that Starscream is complicated, but Megatron isn't as simple as they think.
1. You'll Never Be Like Them

His Air Commander was sulking on a rocky ledge; it was dusk and there was a beautiful pattern of blues and milky stars across the sky. This was not remotely interesting, as he'd seen it millions of times before—the evening sky that is to say. The sulking was not a first, but nonetheless out of the ordinary.

Normally if Starscream had a problem he made Megatron well aware of the details by screeching them into his audio receptors—_mercilessly_. And Starscream called _him_ cruel.

He wasn't sure exactly how or for whom, but this was going to be dreadfully painful.

"Planning on defecting again my little traitor?" Megatron asks, landing behind his pouting Lieutenant.

The wings flick down and Starscream half turns his head. "No! I just wanted a few moments to myself, is that a crime? Must I be at your side every second of my life?"

Megatron rolls his eyes and says blandly, "With your background, I find myself more at ease knowing where you are at all times."

"Afraid of me, master?" It isn't coy teasing, but blatant mocking. This means he's not just angry but _hurt, _andMegatron has never understood an emotionally injured Starscream. If any one thing in this universe could actually terrify him….

He huffed, "hardly, merely concerned for how you'll manage to further set us back."

Starscream turned fully and sneered up at him. "Then why not get rid of me at long last?"

Megatron sighed. "Must we have this conversation every day?" Starscream glared. "You are useful to me."

"Great. Just what I always wanted to be." Oh he was getting really petulant now; it was frustrating and Megatron felt himself getting increasing irritated.

But the best way to beat Starscream was to not let on that he was affected, so he smirked and said, "speaking the truth at last, are we?"

"Shut up!" He shrieked.

Megatron held back a growl. "Watch your mouth, fool. Come, we're going back to the Warship."

"Go yourself. I want some time alone."

It was a blatant act of disobedience, and Megatron's control over his temper was slipping. "So you can pout like an organic juvenile? Don't be absurd, we're going back." _Why_ wouldn't he just give _in_ for once?

"I said I don't want to!"

All of this over a little comment. So he'd chosen to listen to Shockwave's important briefing over this fool's useless prattle, so _what_? "You're too sensitive, Starscream."

"You're too cruel, _Megatron_….Sir."

"Continue to disobey me, and this ridiculous tantrum will mark your last moments; though I suppose such an ending would be befitting of you."

Starscream lunged from his crouch with a battle shriek, racing for Megatron who caught him easily. He held up the seeker with one hand then slammed him unto the rocky ground. He kneeled over the other and placed a hand on the back of his head, firmly pressing the other's face into the rock.

Megatron nearly laughed out loud; he gave an imperceptible caress to the helm in his grasp. "You are a wonder Starscream. How can one so cowardly in a fight be brave enough to stand up to me? How can one renowned for his intelligence be such an unforgivable _fool_!"

"You sound impressed, Master. One could say it's embarrassingly obvious why I don't need to fear standing up to you!" Even kissing the ground he managed to sound smug. Megatron's spark and temper surged together indistinguishably.

Growling, he slammed Starscream's face into the ground a few times, his victim clenched his fists but made no move to stop him—it would be futile to try.

"Will you never cease to disgrace me Starscream?"

"If me speaking the truth is what you call disgracing, than perhaps _you_ ought to change _your_ ways, _Master_."

Megatron slammed his head against the ground again, "Silence fool! Will you cause yourself such pain for a few arrogant words?"

He let Starscream turn his head slightly so they could see each other, "Will you always be so easily offended by mere words?"

Megatron smiled in a way that would have the bravest of wreckers whimpering. Almost whispering, he gave a promise, "You're pushing it Starscream."

"Let's see how far it can go shall we...?"

Megatron roared and began repeatedly slamming his head into the rock below in unrestrained rage. With every lift Starscream spit more insults, "oh what...restraint...you have...you usele...ss uncouth...lout...imbecile...petty temper...mental...greedy...glitched up...ugh."

With a few more slams, Starscream's grunts faded to faint squeaks of agony. With one final lunge Megatron stopped the beating; he hunched further over his Lieutenant and let his intake systems regulate.

"Are you finally done with your incessant backtalk?" He asked through pants.

There was no answer, Megatron sighed in relief. "Finally…I thought you would never stop."

He stood up and gave a disdainful look down at the suffering bot. "I should leave you here to die slowly…but I need all the _subordinates_ I can get. Don't think you've been forgiven just because I'm to have Knock Out repair you...once again."

He made to start for the _Nemesis _alone...let some drones retrieve the idiot...perhaps they'd give him a good mocking for his wretched state.

"I'm _so_ sorry I spoke disrespectfully Master." Megatron froze.

The only reason Starscream had been quiet was to stop the punishment, he'd waited until Megatron was satisfied before he broke the command for silence with a backhanded apology. Megatron's face was impudent fury for all of five seconds before he let out a cacophony of delighted guffaws.

"Oh how I missed these interactions of ours Starscream. I'd been thinking you'd become a tad less petty in your old age, but you're still as flippant as ever. Now who would ever stand up to me if I were to lose you?"

He walked over to Starscream and hauled him up by an arm. When he was on unsteady feet Megatron lifted him up by the underarms until they were eye to eye. It was most degrading treatment, and the affronted glare Megatron received was deliciously gratifying.

"You asked why I don't just get rid of you dear Starscream?" He brought their faces close together, "It's because _you're mine."_

A heavy moment passed in silence.

The tension was broken by Starscream huffing. Laughing incredulously, he said, "You've got a glitch my Lord. You're a senile old fool; and you really ought to be retired by now."

Megatron smiled and let Starscream drop to the ground.

"We're going to back to the Warship; can you make it on your own?"

"I won't be on my own," the '_you fool' _was wisely left unsaid.

"Not now and not for the rest of this night my most prized Decepticon."

With that and a promising smile Megatron transformed and flew off. When he was _probably, _but not definitely, outside hearing range Starscream muttered, "Slagging glitch of the Matrix."

But he was smiling as he followed the master who belonged to him.


	2. A Stranger Called Truth

"Strange, but it's true; I can't get over the way you love me like you do; but I have to be sure,  
when I walk out that door…oh how I want to be free…." I Want To Break Free –Queen

* * *

With the Autobots separated and fleeing for their lives, Earth would be an easy first conquest. But there was one not so easy conquest Megatron still had to address. He gazed over his newly conquered dominion for a moment longer, then he turned to Starscream.

"Come, it's time for us to talk."

Back in his chambers, he loomed over Starscream who looked both arrogant and subservient in the way only he could manage. After all these years, Megatron still couldn't tell which attitude, if either, was real. And, after all these years, it still aggravated him to no end.

"Trying to kill me was kind of an extreme reaction to a lover's quarrel," he began.

Starscream's eyes narrowed. "There was no quarrel. It would have been better if there _had_ been."

Megatron bared his teeth. "It still amazes me how immature you really are. Killing me over not giving you enough attention!"

Starscream flinched, but held his ground. "You gave me _plenty _of attention—you certainly spat enough degradation and put downs to fill up eternity with my humiliation!"

Megatron waved his hand, "we insulted each other! And it's not as if it's anything new for us."

"Yeah but I can't hit you when you go too far and I get angry. And even more futile than fighting you is trying to _talk_ to you! How could I tell you that I wanted to hear what I was doing right—not just what I was doing wrong?"

"Listen, I allowed this relationship to form solely because I thought you would not do this. You said you didn't need to be cuddled and adored. Now I see that that was yet another lie. If you're going to insist on acting like a juvenile every time your feelings get hurt, we should put a stop to this right now—it's an inappropriate relationship anyway."

Starscream squawked in indignation. "That insightful revelation has come a couple millennia late wouldn't you say?"

"Is it possible for you to keep a stable mood for five minutes while we're having an important discussion?"

Starscream put his hands up. "What? You said I should stop whining about my feelings—so I have."

"I said stop acting like an adolescent—and you're doing exactly the—" Megatron cut himself off and sighed. "This is going nowhere as usual."

He thought for a moment, then continued, "I don't know why I bother with you; you don't bother trying to hide that you only care about yourself. Then you want _me_ to feel guilty for not being compassionate. You have a lot of nerve, Starscream, and you're not half the victim you make yourself out to be."

Starscream's face lost all trace of smugness; Megatron's unexpected insights always left him reaching blindly for a new angle of control. Predictably, it fell to old reliable—groveling with a dose of honesty—to help him backtrack into safer territory.

He stared at Megatron's chest, and spoke quietly. "I really am sorry this time. My time alone was a miserable disaster. I realized after my many failures that I am nothing without you."

To Starscream this was empty platitude, but in reality it was the truth—and Megatron was aware of both facts. For the time being, victory quelled his anger.

He smiled, "I'm not exactly all I can be either, when you aren't around."

"Now who's the liar…." For someone who relentlessly sought attention, he usually received praise with disdain and disbelief. It made Megatron feel tired.

He reached over to stroke Starscream's handsome face. "Planning on an all-night pity party my dear?"

Starscream jerked his head away and Megatron retracted his arm. "No, but you could at least save me _your _pity by admitting that I need you and you _don't _need me—that I'm worthless."

This didn't give Megatron any satisfaction at all. It troubled him how easily Starscream could be laid so low. There _is _such a thing as obedient _and _strong—why can't he understand that? What glitch did he have that made him so…alone?

"Sulking will accomplish nothing. Besides, you know I never say what I don't mean. If I say I'm less without you than I am less without you."

"But...I fail you over and over again. Every time you trust me with something I screw it up." He could tell by the focus in Starscream's eye that he was being tested—a most annoying habit among lovers.

"All true. But believe me, Dreadwing did not earn himself a better track record—no Decepticon officer has for a very long time." Megatron hesitated. It was no use; he was going to have to say it. "In any case, I wasn't referring to military accomplishments. You're 'supremely' intelligent, figure it out."

A touch of slyness returned to Starscream's face, "compliments, my lord?"

That conversation may have been ridiculous for two bots so old to have, but the glint in Starscream's optics promised a worthwhile compensation.

Still, he looked so self-satisfied; Megatron wondered if he'd somehow fallen for one of Starscream's tricks again. "You're even more unbearable when you're smug—it shouldn't be possible."

"Oh but me doing impossible things is what attracts you strongly." He said teasingly, every trace of his self-pity gone. He walked over to Megatron's bed and stretched out like he owned it.

Megatron rolled his eyes, "you're so fickle."

"Are you planning on talking me to sleep?"

Megatron stifled a smile and walked over. "Insufferable," he mumbled as he settled on top.

In a pleasant way, he stopped Starscream from saying something annoying again. Judging by the little noises he made, he didn't mind being interrupted.

It was a nice frag; 'conventional' and quiet, the way they knew no one would believe they liked it. But the gentleness was especially preferable after what they both had believed would be a permanent separation.

Starscream wanted to feel secure after nearly starving or bleeding to death so many times and Megatron wanted to be with someone who saw him as a regular bot who could be loved as an equal—just don't _ever _ask him to admit that.

Afterward, it was Starscream who was on top, so he could power down lying on his front like he liked. He shifted on the bigger chest like a snuggling beast.

With his mate's body trapped securely under his arm, Megatron remembered all the lonely nights he'd spent wandering if he'd ever again fall asleep gazing at those wings rising over his chest. He wrapped his other arm around Starscream.

He looked down, and Starscream looked up at him tiredly. "If you ever try leaving again, when you come crawling back I'm going to keep you as a pet, not my first lieutenant."

Starscream blinked lazily, and tucked his head back down. "Promises, promises."

Megatron squeezed his arms. "Careful what you_ suggest _dear."

Starscream twitched at the squeeze but seemed too tired to care. "Besides, that might be kind of fun—for a while."

"Not for me, I'm sure the whining would be excruciating. Maybe I ought to task Knock Out with making a muzzle for you; that would be excellent to have on hand—just in case."

Starscream yawned. "You're hilarious my lord, really. You should consider abandoning the whole warlord thing and become a comedian, you might be better at it—not that that would be saying much."

Megatron really tried to be angry at that, but he gave in and snickered. "I couldn't possibly hate you anymore than I do."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Alright I can see where this is going, I'll stop keeping you from power down—I suppose we have all day tomorrow to harass each other."

"Don't be so cynical. We'll torture each other until you die of old age if all goes well."

Megatron fell into recharge with tears of mirth in his eyes.


End file.
